[lk boltandpump]

I have just started reloading and am starting to look into gunsmithing. I have very little experience and need some help.

I want a bolt action chambered in 6.5 Grendel for use as something like a scout rifle. I like the Mossberg MVP platforms and they are cheap enough I can afford to tinker with them.

What can I do, if anything, to fire 6.5 Grendel from the Mossberg MVP Flex chambered in 556? Barrel and bolt swap? Where would I find those? Would the receiver even handle the larger load?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[proshooter]

Hi
I would not be even thinking of things like that for starting up. My suggestion is that if you are interested in gunsmithing, you do a LOT of reading first and then start with minor jobs before contemplating such a project. Sorry to be such a spoilsport but gunsmithing is not something you learn overnight.

 

[Bong Son Buck]

I understand your situation, but I think that you should seek out a knowledgeable person to learn the fundamentals. Apprenticeship at a gun shop that does gunsmithing would be ideal. There are some very fine schools that teach gunsmithing classes, and there are home courses. But, I believe there's nothing like learning from a master! And, just think, you'll actually get paid to learn!

 

[HarryS]

Welcome IK. Nice to see you post.

The Mossberg platform doesn't lend itself to kitchen gunsmithing; especially when the Grendel would require changing the bolt face.

I agree with the others, need to do lots of reading and have some machinist skills before starting.

Suggestion: Get a savage bolt gun in 260 rem. where the 6.5 Grendel is based upon the 7.62×39mm Russuian case the 260 Rem is a 6.5 mm cartridge based upon the US 308 round. More options. The Savage 110 style action allows for simple barrel changes and bolt head changes without machine tools. Lots of instruction free on the internet on how to do this.

hope to see your future posts

 

[lk boltandpump]

Thank you Proshooter and Bong Son Buck for the advice and I do intend to read more and learn before diving in. I should have explained that I do know a gunsmith willing to do the work and show me along the way. I do not intend to do much if any of the work myself. My goal was to figure out what I wanted (a scout/tactical bolt action rifle chambered in 6.5 Grendel) and where to start.

HarryS, I will look into that and thank you very much for the suggestions. I am still a bit new but I love Mossberg shotguns and was hoping I could figure a way to keep things in the family. Also I want to mention, I have a preference for left handed bolt guns and would like an adjustable tactical stock so my shorter armed friends would not have to fight a too long rifle while trying to fire. I have been attrmpting to get my peers in the field and out of the house so a cool, fun and easy to fire weapon goes a long way.

 

[Bong Son Buck]

Welcome, I didn't realize that you were new! HarryS' suggestion to use the Savage was a good one, but you could also go to the old standby,---The '98 Mauser. They're not as easy to find as they used to be, but they're still out there! It's excellent that you know a gunsmith-that's how I started! Good luck in your venture!

 

[Darkker]

My goal was to figure out what I wanted (a scout/tactical bolt action rifle chambered in 6.5 Grendel) and where to start.

, I have a preference for left handed bolt guns and would like an adjustable tactical stock so my shorter armed friends would not have to fight a too long rifle while trying to fire. I have been attrmpting to get my peers in the field and out of the house so a cool, fun and easy to fire weapon goes a long way.

I'm very perplexed by this. You told us what you wanted for chambers, now you want us to tell you what you want???
Honestly for the two chambers you want, the easiest thing is an AR pattern rifle, just pull the gas system and you have a bolt gun. Can buy a carrier with a charging handle on it.

As far as using the MVP as a switch rifle: Just as with any rifle it is certainly possible... Except. Without a floating bolthead, you would have to machine the bolt face open, meaning never going smaller. The MVP uses a jam nut to headspace threaded barrels, but is not a standard thread pattern. From memory it is something like .8"X28 tpi

The "standard" for swapping calibers, is Savage; but make sure it is a Savage Small Shank. A Savage, Stevens, Marlin X7, Rem 783, all take the same thread barrels. The 783 is slightly different in terms of receiver, but is essentially a copy of the X7. Ergo the X7, 783, Stevens & Savage(these two are identical) all have floating bolt heads. So if you are bright enough to know Lefty loosey, righty tighty; you can change bolt heads. Those parts can be readily bought most places. Brownells, Pacific tool & gauge, midguey, etc. Due to the nut in the barrels you also can swap without ubber magic, or expensive parts. Personally after fooling with Savage for decades, the QC nightmare has me using the X7.

And as for the stock. Don't buy one for your "friends" sake, do it for yourself. If you need to brib them into shooting, leave them in the house; you don't need that kind of negativity in your life